Dream of the Future
by da-angel729
Summary: Sometimes the things you dream of don't always come true. Remus/Tonks. Set during HBP.


**Author's Note:** Written for the "Winter Wonderland Fic Advent" at **metamorficmoon** at LiveJournal with the prompts: _Stockings_ and _"Rocking around the Christmas Tree, at the Christmas party hop, Mistletoe hung where you can see, Ev'ry couple tries to stop" -Rocking Around The Christmas Tree – Brenda Lee_. As always, feedback and con crit appreciated!

--

**Dream of the Future**

"Ow!"

Remus Lupin, happily married for four years and used to the random curse words and exclamations of pain from Tonks, did not look up from the fireplace where he was hanging the stockings, one bubble gum pink and one green. Tonks had declared his red stocking had clashed with her pink one, and promptly changed his to green. He had been too amused by her pink stocking to argue.

"What is it this time?" Remus asked, trying, and failing, to hold back his slight smirk.

"The cat tripped me again," came Tonks' exasperated voice from the kitchen, where she was organising some food trays for their party guests, who were expected to arrive any moment.

"Well, it is not surprising, given that you are the one with the food," Remus called back, putting a few final touches on the Christmas tree.

"Very funny," Tonks hurried out of the kitchen with two trays floating behind her. One had cheese and crackers, and another had various meats. She placed them on the table with a flick of her wand, and turned to regard the Christmas tree. Their white, fluffy cat, Snowball, followed her out of the kitchen and was sitting on the floor, eyeing the table.

"Don't jump on the table, Snowball," Remus said firmly, noticing the look. The cat looked at him, eyes wide. Innocent. Remus laughed and shook his head. "That cat understands us, I swear."

"Of course she does, Remus," Tonks said, smiling at him. "I like the tree, but it needs a bit more colour."

"It does not need more colour!" Remus protested, looking at the tree in the corner. The six foot tall tree dominated the living room, and red, gold, and green lights twinkled merrily on the branches. Ornaments in those same colours were scattered through the tree, and a twinkling golden star sat on the top.

"Can I add just a little bit of pink?" She looked at him, eyes pleading.

Remus groaned. He was a dead man. That look in Tonks' eyes meant he was going to give in, and she apparently knew it, because her face brightened and she waved her wand toward the tree. Pink lights appeared on the tree, clashing horribly with the red. But Tonks left them. Apparently a clashing Christmas tree was fine, but clashing stockings wasn't.

--

An hour later, their small house was packed with friends and family. "White Christmas" was blaring out of the wireless and people were dancing in the living room, where all the furniture had been pushed back to the sides of the room.

Bill and Fleur Delacour were in the middle of the room, arms wrapped around each other, barely moving. They certainly weren't dancing, though they were kissing. Molly and Arthur were sitting on the couch, and Arthur had his arm around her. They were smiling and talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt. Fred and George were in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room, trying to convince Hermione there was nothing wrong with the sweets they were trying to give her, but she, smart girl, was not going to give in.

"I would try someone more gullible," Remus suggested as he walked by the three of them on his way toward the kitchen with an empty tray. "Someone who hasn't known you for very long, either."

Fred and George looked at each other, then Hermione. They shrugged and moved along, and Hermione sighed with relief.

"I thought they were going to force feed it to me," she told Remus as she followed him to the kitchen. "Do you need help with the tray?"

"Thanks, Hermione." He opened a package of crackers and handed it to her. "If you could put those on the tray while I get the cheese, that would be great."

In short order, he and Hermione had the trays finished, and they carried them over to the refreshment table. Remus rearranged drinks and straightened the table, cleaning up spills with the rag he had brought from the kitchen.

The song changed to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and Tonks grabbed Remus and pulled him onto the dance floor, making him drop the rag in the process. She spun around, tripped, and pitched forward into him, laughing.

"I guess I'll never learn," she said, shaking her head as they both stumbled back a step. "I don't know why I am so clumsy."

He held her as she tried to step back. "It's one of the things I love about you, Nymphadora."

"Don't call me Nymphadora," she replied automatically, frowning at him.

He shrugged and mouthed "What?" as the music grew louder.

_"Rockin' around the Christmas tree_

_At the Christmas party hop._

_Mistletoe hung where you can see,_

_Ev'ry couple tries to stop."_

"Why are you frowning?" He whispered it in her ear as he drew her closer so she could hear him over the music.

"I have something I need to tell you," she said, "and I didn't really want to in front of everyone. Can we go to the kitchen for a minute?"

"Sure," he said, though dread settled in his stomach. What could she possibly have to say that couldn't be said in front of everyone? What if she'd finally realised she didn't want to be with him anymore? What if…

"Remus," she said, voice wobbling slightly. "We're going to have to start saving more money."

"Did you lose your job?" His part time job at a Wizarding library didn't bring in very much money, and losing her salary would be disastrous.

"No, I'm just going to need a break in about seven months," she replied, looking down at the ground, as if she was afraid to meet his eyes.

"Seven months," Remus mused, staring at the refrigerator as his brain started working overtime. Was she trying to tell him…He looked down at her.

She was grinning. Her hair was her favourite, bubble-gum pink, instead of Christmas green, and her eyes were sparkling.

"We're having a baby!" Remus picked her up, swung her around. Joy filled him, threatening to make the tears fall.

She looked up at him, eyes worried. "I know you think I'm going to leave you one day, and I was trying not to let it bother me, or have this happen quite so soon, so…"

"I don't think you're going to leave," he insisted, though he felt guilt seep into his heart. "Well, maybe sometimes I do, but it's only when I've had a particulary bad day." He looked down at her, eyes sad. "I'm sorry I've made you feel that I would. I love you, Nymphadora, and I will never leave you."

"You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" He grinned and gave her a big kiss. "This is the best Christmas present ever!"

She smiled at him. "Shall we go tell everyone?"

Laughing, they ran back into the living room. Remus waved his arm at the wireless.

The sudden silence brought everyone's attention to them. Bill started to complain, but was hushed by Fleur. It took a while for the people gathered in the room to quiet down, as the Weasleys, who made up the biggest portion of the guest list, were never very quiet.

"We're having a baby!" Remus blurted when everyone was silent.

He was unprepared for the arms thrown around him. It was Molly, crying, Hermione and Ginny were congratulating Tonks, and Harry and Ron shook his hand.

"Congratulations, Remus," Harry said, smiling at him as he drew Ginny away from Tonks, who then gave him a hug. "This is great news."

The celebration lasted for another hour, and as they waved off the last of their guests, Remus looked down at her.

"This has been my favourite Christmas so far."

"Mine, too." Tonks said, leaning back against him as they stood at the window, watching the snow fall down.

"Merry Christmas, Tonks."

"Merry Christmas, Remus."

Remus wrapped his arms around her waist, already imagining the person their baby would become. He was terrified and happy at the same time. What if he wasn't a good father?

As Tonks leaned up to give him a kiss, the thought drifted away. Nothing could be wrong as long as they had each other.

--

Far away from London, in a cold winter wood, Remus Lupin, surrounded by werewolves and wrapped in a threadbare coat, woke up with tears on his cheeks and an aching heart. It was only a dream. For him, there would be no happy Christmases with Tonks, no children. He'd had happiness in his grasp, and let it go. He couldn't get it back now. It was too late for memories of what could have been.


End file.
